1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solar cell module, a production method thereof, and an installation method of solar cell modules. More particularly, the invention concerns a solar cell module that has improved productivity and mountability and has little damage to the surface of solar cell module during production of the solar cell module or during installation of the solar cell module, a production method thereof, and an installation method of solar cell modules.
2. Related Background Art
There has been a global increase in the level of awareness of about environmental issues in recent years, and there is growing, apprehension regarding is the warming phenomenon of the earth due to CO.sub.2 emission and desires for clean energy are becoming stronger and stronger. As a result of such environmental concerns, solar cells have received a lot of attention, as a clean energy source.
There are various forms of the solar cells, and typical examples thereof are as follows.
(1) Single-crystal silicon solar cells
(2) Polycrystal silicon solar cells
(3) Amorphous silicon based solar cells
(4) Copper indium selenide solar cells
(5) Compound semiconductor solar cells
These solar cells need to be coated with a coating material on the light incident side surface and on the bottom surface in order to protect the solar cells from mechanical stress and various environmental stresses such as temperature, humidity, and solar radiation. As the coating material on the light incidence side, normally glass, a transparent resin or the like is used. As the coating material on the bottom side, a resin, a metal, a composite thereof or the like is used.
In the conventional solar cell modules having the above-stated solar cells coated, in addition to the above coating materials, a transparent protective film as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 4-325531 or No. 8-306942 is stuck on the light incidence side in order to further protect the modules from external impact or chemical corrosion. In these examples, as shown in FIG. 1, a solar cell module 70 is constructed in the structure where crystal solar cell devices 75 are encapsulated by a bottom film 74, a transparent resin 73, and glass 72 and a protective sheet 71 is further stuck on the surface of glass 72. Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 7-30139 discloses that a detachable protective cover is attached to a solar cell module to protect the solar cell module and prevent an electric shock during installation.
In the past, there has not been, much awareness of problems arising when the solar cell modules underwent formation working in part of the manufacturing process thereof (i.e., in the state before completion). However, a new problem has been identified regarding how the solar cell surface should be protected during the formation working. A further new problem relates to how difficult it is to discriminate among different solar cell module production lots or among different types of solar cell modules without additional cost under the condition where many solar cell modules were flowing in the process. Another problem relates to how difficult it was to install many modules of different types without damage to the solar cell modules and without confusion during installation of the solar cell modules.